Key Takeaways:
- Mathiasen says Wild Reach is the initiative he’s most excited about because it brings discovery, storytelling, community, and business together in one place.
- OR 2026 opens Aug. 19 with a full Education Day including the Ascent Summit and Retailer Playbook Lab, followed by the expo floor Aug. 20-21.
- Mathiasen wants attendees to leave Minneapolis saying, “Outdoor Retailer is where the outdoor industry came together to move forward.”
Outdoor Retailer heads to Minneapolis for the first time this August, and the show is arriving with a significantly redesigned format. The event runs August 19-21 at the Minneapolis Convention Center, with Aug. 19 dedicated to education programming and the expo floor open Aug. 20-21. Leading the show for the first time is Matthew Mathiasen, who was appointed group show director earlier this year. We asked him five questions about the move to Minneapolis, the new initiatives, and what he hopes the industry takes away from OR 2026.
You’re stepping into this role right as the show moves to a brand-new city. What made Minneapolis feel like the right fit for Outdoor Retailer’s next chapter?
Matthew Mathiasen, Group Show Director, Outdoor Retailer:Â Known as “The City by Nature,” Minneapolis has a deep connection to outdoor recreation, making it a natural fit for bringing the industry together in a place that truly embraces the outdoor lifestyle.
This year, Outdoor Retailer has been redeveloped with a stronger focus on emerging brand discovery, meaningful industry conversations, creator storytelling, and connecting products with both independent and major retail buyers. Minneapolis provides the energy, accessibility, and outdoor culture to support that vision.
One of the things I’m most excited about is how we’re leaning into the destination itself. Attendees will have opportunities to participate in urban outdoor experiences before the show opens each day, including trail runs, hikes, canoeing, and an adventure race in partnership with 57hours. It’s a great way to experience the city while connecting with fellow industry professionals and reinforcing what makes the outdoor community unique.
There’s a lot that’s new this year — Wild Reach, the Backcountry Garage, the Retailer Playbook Lab. If you had to pick one thing you’re most excited for attendees to experience, what would it be?
Matthew Mathiasen:Â If I had to choose one, I’d say Wild Reach because it captures so much of what we’re building for the future of Outdoor Retailer. It’s where discovery, storytelling, community, and business all come together.
Wild Reach brings more than 150 creators and influencers to the show floor through our partnership with Popfly, creating live content and sharing new products, trends, and conversations with an audience of more than 13 million people. It’s a powerful example of how the outdoor industry is evolving. Brands aren’t just looking to be seen by buyers anymore; they’re looking to connect with communities and consumers in authentic ways.
You’ve got two decades in events under your belt. What’s something from that experience that’s shaping how you’re approaching your first OR show?
Matthew Mathiasen:Â One lesson that’s stayed with me throughout my career is that the most successful events put people at the center of the experience. Great shows aren’t just about transactions, they’re about creating meaningful connections that help people, businesses, and communities move forward together.
Attendees are looking for more than a traditional trade show now. They want engagement. They want authentic conversations. They want opportunities to learn, network, discover, collaborate, and create.
The outdoor industry is operating in a much more dynamic environment today, where brands are navigating an omnichannel world that includes wholesale, direct-to-consumer, content creation, influencers, community building, and retail partnerships all at once. Our goal is to reflect that reality and create opportunities for attendees to actively participate rather than simply observe.
Walk us through what attendees can expect from a few days at Outdoor Retailer in Minneapolis this August.
Matthew Mathiasen:Â Outdoor Retailer 2026 has been designed as a three-day journey that blends professional development, business discovery, community engagement, and outdoor experiences in a way that reflects where the industry is today.
We kick off on Wednesday with a dedicated Education Day, featuring the inaugural Ascent Summit with Garage Grown Gear and Founded Outdoors, alongside the Retailer Playbook Lab, where retailers can participate in hands-on workshops covering everything from AI and cybersecurity to community building, social commerce, staffing, and future-proofing their businesses.
The day continues with Industry Day, bringing together leaders and experts for conversations around independent retail, the next generation of consumers, innovation, circularity, AI, and inclusion, culminating with a keynote from Mirna Valerio and community networking events throughout the evening.
When the show floor opens on Thursday and Friday, attendees will discover more than 200 retail-ready brands across seven product neighborhoods, including Camp and Hike, Lifestyle, Water, Run and Cycle, Stewardship, and the GGG and Founded Outdoors Pavilion.
Throughout the day, they’ll connect with buyers, launch products, attend sessions at The Camp, and hear discussions on retail trends, creator marketing, outdoor media, Gen Z consumers, sustainability, and the future of the industry.
Because we’re in Minneapolis, known as The City by Nature, we also wanted to create opportunities for people to get outside before the business day begins. Attendees can participate in guided hikes, trail runs, canoeing experiences, and an adventure race with 57hours, embracing the outdoor lifestyle that brings this industry together in the first place.
What’s one thing you want exhibitors, retailers, and attendees to walk away saying about OR 2026?
Matthew Mathiasen:Â I hope they walk away saying, “Outdoor Retailer is where the outdoor industry came together to move forward.”
We’re intentionally building an event that’s bigger than a trade show. Yes, we want exhibitors to generate leads, retailers to discover products, and buyers to place orders. But we also want people to leave with new ideas, new relationships, and a clearer understanding of where the industry is headed.
The outdoor industry is changing rapidly. Success today requires brands, retailers, creators, media, nonprofits, and community leaders to work together in ways that didn’t exist even a few years ago. My goal for OR 2026 is to create the place where those connections happen.
Outdoor Retailer 2026 runs August 19-21 at the Minneapolis Convention Center, with Education Day on Aug. 19 and the expo floor open Aug. 20-21. Register at outdoorretailer.com.
